Introduction: The
following analysis by Steve Miller results in the assignment of Indian Ridge as
an Intermediate chef-de-race, the 200th in the series.

Indian Ridge
Gets Peak Speed-Milers

INDIAN RIDGE (IRE)
is a chestnut horse (1985) by Ahonoora (see Note 1) out of the Swing Easy mare
Hillbrow. He stands at the Irish National Stud.

He was the winner of five races from 5 to 7 furlongs including the Group 2 King
Stand Stakes and the Jersey Stakes, as well as the Group 3 Duke of York Stakes.

At stud Indian Ridge is a proven outcross for Northern Dancer. He was the sire
of 252 winners of 762 races from his first nine crops, with some 43 black type
winners. He is the sire of Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winners Ridgewood Pearl
and Domedriver. In addition to the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Ridgewood Pearl
was Champion European Filly, winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the Prix Du Moulin
de Longchamp and the Coronation Stakes (all Group 1 events) as well as finishing
runner up in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Indian Ridge’s other Group winners include: Namid (champion European
sprinter and winner of the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye and three Group 3 races),
Compton Place (champion European sprinter and winner of the Group 1 July
Cup), Cassandra Go (winner of the Group 2 Temple Stakes and King Stand
Stakes, and the Group 3 King George Stakes, and runner-up in the July Cup),
Definite Article
(winner of the Group 1 National Stakes and Group 2 Tattersalls Gold Cup and
runner-up in the Irish Derby), Munir (winner of the Group 2 Victor
Chandler Challenge Stakes and Group 3 Greenham Stakes in 2001), Handsome
Ridge (effective at a mile at Group level), Indian Rocket (winner at
5 and 6 furlongs, including the Turf Sprint Stakes at Churchill Downs),
Nicobar
(a Group winner at 7 and 8 furlongs) and Bardonecchia (winner of the
Group 3 Prix de Psyche in France).

Taking a wider sample
of his winning progeny (three-year-olds and over in Great Britain and Ireland)
shows a striking pattern, missing from his own sire Ahonoora’s progeny
distribution. Indian Ridge’s average winning distance (AWD) for his progeny is a
slightly sharper 7.6 furlongs than his sire’s 8.0 furlongs. This is where the
similarity ends – the distribution of his winners gives us a clear signal of his
aptitudinal prepotence that is not apparent in his sire:

From this sample of 185, almost 80% (145) won at distances up to and including a
mile, with a particularly strong and unusual concentration at 7 furlongs (a trip
far less common than mile or sprint races) in which he records no less than 52
(28%) of his winners.

It would seem there is clear evidence that (unlike his own sire) he is showing a
distinct aptitude for getting speed horses at just below a mile. This leads me
to recommend Indian Ridge be included as an Intermediate chef-de-race.

The Dosage figures for the majority of Indian Ridge’s offspring are as good as
meaningless at the moment (two of this Group winning sample currently have no
Dosage points at all in their profiles).

With an Intermediate designation factored in for Indian Ridge we get:

Horse

DP

PTS

DI

CD

Bardonecchia

1-18-5-4-0

28

3.31

0.57

Munir

7-16-5-0-2

30

5.67

0.87

Nicobar

1-16-1-2-0

20

7.00

0.80

Domedriver

4-16-6-0-0

26

7.67

0.92

Compton Place

0-16-0-0-2

18

8.00

0.60

Handsome Ridge

0-16-0-2-0

18

8.00

0.78

Cassandra Go

6-19-5-0-0

30

11.00

1.03

Namid

2-16-2-0-0

20

19.00

1.00

Indian Rocket

4-16-0-0-0

20

1.20

Definite Article

0-16-0-0-0

16

1.00

Ridgewood Pearl

0-16-0-0-0

16

1.00

It should be noted that these figures are a distortion, as several show barely
any other chef-de-race representation (and in two cases no other).
However, for those with a higher number of points in the profile we begin to
arrive at a basis for a meaningful reading.

The Dosage readings for
Definite Article and Ridgewood Pearl especially are not of use. The stamina that
Definite Article possessed no doubt derives from an unacknowledged prepotent
stamina source on his dam side. Interestingly he is inbred to
Lorenzaccio/Klairon in his third/fourth generations. However, if there is an
unacknowledged stamina source lurking here it is likely to be Reliance (FR)
(see Note 2) who has an AWD for his progeny of 13.5 furlongs and is a son of the
Solid chef-de-race Tantieme (who is in Definite Article’s fifth generation and
therefore falls outside the scope of his Dosage reading).

An amazing 73 (just over
half) of Reliance’s winning sample of 142 won at 14 furlongs and 14 furlongs
plus. Further research needs to be done to confirm that Reliance is a prepotent
source for stamina, but I suspect this to be the case. Whatever the outcome
Definite Article remains the anomaly as far as Indian Ridge’s Group-winning
progeny are concerned – Indian Ridge’s other offspring tend to conform to the
sub-mile/mile speed-horse type at both the Pattern and general level in striking
frequency.

It seems that there is
enough clear evidence to make Indian Ridge a fully-fledged Intermediate
chef-de-race sire – I could not support a case for his sire Ahonoora,
however.

I would also support the
inclusion of Reliance on the Aptitudinal Guidelines
list for non-chef-de-race sires under a dominant stamina
designation until his suitability for a full chef-de-race status can be
verified.

Note 1:Ahonoora (GB) won seven times and was placed seven times from 16 starts,
including victories in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes, the Group 2 William Hill
Sprint Championship, the Group 3 King George Stakes and the Goodwood Stewards
Cup. He was also runner-up in the Group 2 King Stand Stakes. He died in 1989.

Among the Group winning
performers he produced at stud are: Dr Devious (winner of the Derby),
Don’t Forget Me (winner of the 2,000 Guineas and Irish 2,000 Guineas),
Indian Ridge (subject stallion), Park Appeal
(winner of the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes and Moyglare Stud Stakes), Park
Express (winner of the Group 1 Phoenix Champion Stakes), Ruby Tiger
and
Inchinor.

Note 2:
With a Professional influence for Reliance (FR) factored into Definite
Article’s reading his profile reads 0-16-0-0-2 = 18, DI 8.00, CD 0.60, which
remains a highly unreliable reading as just two stallions are contributing to
his figures (but this is an obvious improvement on none before). This begins to
establish a basis for enhanced accuracy, however.